Seven Years Since Hogwarts
by the-Wake-just-after-Midnight
Summary: This is just another typical fic where Hermione and Draco profess their undying love for each other for no reason at all. Not really, this is actually the story of a divorced Draco and the unexpected replacement for his wife, Hermione Granger.
1. Without a Mom

**If you never ask questions**

**You'll never hear truths**

**I don't own this story.**

**So kindly don't sue. **

**Seven Years Since Hogwarts**

**Introduction:**

This is the tale of how Draco finds himself left with three children alone. It is also the story of how Ronald Weasley's wife, Carmen, tries to find the last member of the Golden trio a spouse. And just maybe, if they could get past their differences, it will be a story of how two not-so-different people find just what they were looking for in the place they expected least.

_Seven years since Voldie's rule._

_When the Aurors lost their lives._

_Seven years have past since school._

_Ron and Harry both have wives._

_Ginny Weasley is no more._

_Her and Harry both got hitched._

_Pansy Malfoy is no more._

_Draco Malfoy has been ditched._

_Three young children need a mom._

_Theirs have left their father._

_Draco wants to get them one._

_His children need a mother._

_But a twist is in our story,_

_Since Draco's said divorce,_

_The boy who once had glory,_

_Is filled now with remorse._

_Dear Hermione, a heart breaker,_

_Waiting for a decent man._

_Carmen wants to play matchmaker._

_Mrs. Weasley has a plan._

_How to get the two together,_

_When heartache she wants none?_

_Draco, rash, will always hate her._

_How to make them fall in love?_

_There's seduction and advances._

_There is hope and compromise._

_Here's a tale of second chances,_

_In a world so full of lies._

**Seven Years Since Hogwarts**

**Chapter 1: Without a Mom**

Blaise Zambini slid a piece of parchment across the table at Draco. Draco picked it up, analyzed it carefully and slammed it back on the willow desk with a shutter. It was final. He was now officially the first in his graduating class to get a divorce. Part of him couldn't believe it. While he absolutely hated his wife, they had kids, and no matter what people thought, he was the only one in their partnership with even the slightest bit of parental instinct.

What other people thought no longer seemed to matter to him. Yes, it had definitely mattered before. That's why he'd gotten himself into this mess in the first place, but all of that seemed behind him now. He didn't give a damn whether his father approved or not, though consciously he knew he didn't. But now his kids were without a mother. Draco couldn't stand the thought. Clara. Jonathan. Thomas. None of them would ever see their worthless mother again.

Draco glared around at the women they formally called Mrs. Malfoy. She glared back at him. Draco noted how much make up she was wearing. She reminded him of a cross between a hooker and a raccoon. Inwardly he praised his kids on their timely escape. At least none of them were old enough to have born witness to how much of a slut their mother really was.

The woman signed the papers roughly. Draco was awed at how she could even manage with inch-long acrylic nails. "Nice outfit," he sneered sarcastically. His new ex just shot him more glares. She knew exactly how tacky he found her pepto bismol pink lipstick to be. She also knew how much he loathed her as she licked her upper teeth in disgust.

"Pansy, Draco, Cut it out. This is a legal office not a boxing ring!" Blaise snapped at the former couple. Pansy immediately flashed Draco a horrifically perfect grin. Draco narrowed his eyes in hostilely at her. Pansy looked over at Blaise and shrugged, pretending she had no idea why Draco 'was just so cruel.' Blaise understood Draco's position perfectly however, and paid her no mind. "Well," Blaise's voice smoothed. "You both are officially single."

"Finally. I can't wait to get out of this dump. Bye honey. Or should I say, ex-honey?" Draco snorted at her angrily. Pansy stood up and blew Draco a kiss. Then she left through the old intricately carved wooden door. Blaise stood up and sat in Pansy's old seat. Draco looked up at her wearily. Blaise sighed in relief that Pansy was finally out of her office.

"Her idea huh?"

Draco nodded solemnly. "No matter how much I hate her, I could never just shaft my kids like this."

Blaise smiled sympathetically. "Don't let skanks like her get you down. I completely understand your hostility."

"It's not getting me down. I'm glad she's gone. Completely and totally relieved. But how am I going to tell my kids why their mother never said goodbye?"

"Draco, it's not your fault that she's a wench. Some people just don't care about their children. But in my opinion, people like that should be shot and hanged."

"Speaking of kids, Blaise, how's Emily?"

"Still without a presentable father." Blaise mocked herself and her present situation. Draco laughed at the way she shrugged off her problems. Blaise Zambini had been what many would call loose in her personal life. Unfortunately that meant that she too was a single parent. Only in Blaise's case, she'd been disowned for it.

The two said their goodbyes and Draco got up to leave. His mother would be expecting him home at any minute. Then he thought about Emily, she had no one but her mother to look out for her. At least his kids had Narcissa.

-----

Hermione Granger got up to leave the Weasley's house. She'd come over on Auror's business to speak with Ron, but also to talk to Carmen, a very eccentric ex-Ravenclaw who insisted she was married to him.

"Oh, Ron, what's your number? I want to be able to pop in anytime I get bored of my empty flat." Hermione stated as an after-thought.

Carmen pulled a quill from inside her pocket and wrote the address on Hermione's hand. Hermione looked at her with complete shock. She figured she shouldn't be surprised though, Carmen did stuff like that all the time. It was almost a hobby of hers to be weird.

"There you are," Carmen stated whilst standing back up. Carmen flicked a strand of her ccinnamonhair behind her back. Hermione stared. The wavy hair had gotten about five inches longer since she'd seen her last. It was no longer to her chin and in layers; it was now well past her shoulders. Then she remembered with almost relief how in school Carmen had dyed it aquamarine. Her natural color was ddefinitelya step up, though admittedly, it didn't suit her nearly as well.

"Well you should expect me sometime in the next three weeks," Hermione said distantly while reading her hand. _'"47 Lakeville Dr." Well, I suppose Ron likes it here. It ddefinitelyhas more space than the Burrow.' _Hermione waved the two Weasleys goodbye, and apparated out the door.

-----

Draco looked down at the card Blaise had given him right before he left. It was for a divorce ccouncilordate doctor of sorts. Draco wondered if he should call. It couldn't possibly be worse than being married to Pansy, besides, his kids desperately needed at mother. And Draco knew that Pansy was gone for good, most likely run off with one of her boyfriends. Thus, it was probably best for him to just move on as quickly as possible.

Draco quickly copied down the address onto a piece of parchment and several dates for possible appointment times. Then he walked over to his Eagle owl and secured the letter.

It had been six years since Draco'd dated anybody. The next few years were going to be very interesting.

Draco looked up from his desk. He could hear the tremendous patter of small feet and the wrapping of their hands on the door to his office. Draco rose silently and hid behind the door, placing a tribal mask over his face.

His three children assumed that their father was not in the office and slowly creaked open the door. Draco jumped out to reveal himself and his children began to run in terror. Clara, five, ran towards and scurried into theover sizedd wardrobe, Jonathan, four, rolled under the desk, and Thomas, two, ran straight for his father's legs. Draco took off his mask and picked up his son.

"Daddy," the boy whimpered excitedly, "'ere was a funny man in the hous'!" Thomas's eyes were brightly lit by this revelation, as if itfulfilledd all the wildest hopes from his young life.

"Was there really now?" Draco asked the boy. "Well then, we'll just have to go look for him won't we?" Thomas nodded excitedly as Clara and Johnathan came out of hiding. Draco motioned for them to follow him.

"Abba," Claramurmuredd. "He tried to git us!" Draco shifted Thomas in his arms so he could stroke Clara'splatinumm curls.

"Well we can't have that now can we? Don't worry. We'll catch the scoundrel!"

"Faffer," Johnathan began, "Whaff's a foundrel?" Draco's smile broadened. Jonthan had evidently inherited Draco's old lisp. And while Draco finally did get over it, it didn't completely disappear until he was ten, resulting in no one at Hogwarts knowing a thing about it.

"A scoundrel, dear son of mine, is a bad man who's up to no good! And we're going to catch one." Johnathan jumped excitedly at the mere thought about catching a foundrel of his very own. He'd always been told stories of brave knights, and wanted very much to be one of them.

"Faffer, can I be a sqer?"

Draco smiled at his son'spronunciationn of squire. "Yes. And you will be the bravest squire the world has ever known." And even as he said it, Draco could hear his own father's voice finish the sentence. _'Because your a Malfoy, and Malfoys are always the best.' _Draco thought about how he used to believe that. But after a failed marriage and watching your father carried off to Hendings (the wizarding prison created after the Dementors revolted) resulting in your family name meaning less than nothing, you think twice before telling your kids things like that. Draco _did_ think about it though. Maybe if his father hadn't told him things like that, he wouldn't have ended up with Pansy. He would've appreciated mediocrityy. He might have dated someone who could love him.

**A/N: And yes, Draco does have the cutest kids on this side of Venus! And they're really sweet too. I want his kids!**

**Sorry for some words ending uplikethis. My computer did it. I assure you it was _not_ written that way. My spellchecker is just having a seizure. **

**And please reveiw. There is nothing worse than posting a story that no one reads. **


	2. Madam Alexandra

**If you never ask questions**

**You'll never hear truths**

**I don't own this story.**

**So kindly don't sue. **

**Seven Years Since Hogwarts**

**Just so you know. Draco will not be nice in this fic. He's only nice to Blaise, his best friend, and his kids. To everyone else, including his mother at times, he's still Draco. And just so you know, you aren't supposed to necisarily like the character introduced in this chapter. But she's definately going to give Draco a run for his money. **

**Chapter 2: Madam Alexandra**

Later that night, after all three of children had safely been tucked into bed and told their bed time story for the evening, Alexandra found Draco Malfoy sprawled out on the couch in his office. Alexandra laid one of her wiry hands on his shoulder and shook him awake. Draco jumped at the sight of her. She wasn't a very tall women, maybe only five four, and she wasn't really what he'd expected. (Especially because he wasn't really expecting anyone, including short witches wearing seven muggle watches on one right forearm, and six on the other.) Alexandra shoved her hand directly under his nose and held it there as if to beg for a handshake.

"Hello Draco. My name is Madam Alexandra, but add the Madam part and I'll strangle you." Alexandra removed her hand from under his nose and shoved it into the pocket of her vermilionn robes. She removed a piece of parchment and a pair of chrome spectacles, completely covered with rhine stones. It became very evident to Draco that the glasses were just for show as she put them over her eyes to read and began unfolding the parchment. His first clue was the fact that she seemed to be a least one year younger than he, and his second was that they had no lenses.

"Well, Draco, I must say I was shocked to get your letter. Twenty-five year olds aren't my exactly my usual clients, so exuse me if I'm harsher than normal." Alexandra picked up Draco's legs so she could sit down on the couch. Draco shot her a look of confusion.

"Isn't it a bit early for you to be here?"

"Not really, it's nearly twelve o'clock at night, that's not early at all," she stated non-chalantly, not even looking up from the parchment. "Besides, I find it's best when working with single parents; the evenings are their only spare moments."

"How old _are_ you?" Draco asked, leaning in to get a better view of her face. Alexandra removed her glasses. Draco could tell she was about to say something very sardonic and frank.

"I've been married two years, and that's all you need to know." Alexandra replaced the glassed on her face to read the last line of parchment, took them off, refolded the parchment, and shoved both back into her pocket.

"If you intend to have any business here, I demand you answer me without all these side steps. How old are you?"

"Twenty-Four," she stated frankly. Draco began to gain interest suddenly with her robe pocket.

"What was that parchment anyway?"

"That dear Draco, was the biography of your life from your point of view. And I must admit I am disappointed."

Draco thought that she must've just had a dry sense of humor, because there wasn't anything slightly disappointing about his life except maybe his marriage. Draco also gathered that she liked patronizing people. He groaned. This might, after all, turn out more annoying than his marriage. "Do explain."

"Well, for someone who thinks they're a sex god you sure did settle for someone beneath you. Come on, Pansy? And not only that, _she dumped you_. I'm sorry to say, but that's just pathetic."

"That's it? That was only the last seven years of my life. How can you dictate your ideals on such a short time frame?" Draco begged her to answer.

"That's not a short time frame. You're only twenty-five, seven years is a third of your life. But that's not my only promblem. You just didn't strike me as the kind of person to be a crony to 'Lord Voldimort.' It's just not like you to bow like that to anyone. It wasn't like he was sharing his power with you anyways. He had your father. Where did you even get off with thinking he made you strong. All he ever did was use you, and to this day you won't admit it." Draco looked at Alexandra with shock but more so outrage.

"How dare you speak with me in such a manner!"

"Oh, well you don't seem to be having any problem standing up now. So my question is, was your future just not a worthy enough cause? Or do you just really like to pretend that you have more self respect than you do?" Alex could feel a twinge of pain as he struck her cheek. She turned her face towards him. He saw crystal drops pouring lightly from her cheeks, but she herself was still very calm. Had it not bothered her that her client had struck her?

"Are you alright?"

Alexandra turned her other cheek to face him.

"Go ahead, I don't mind, but bashing me won't hide you from the truth. You let yourself get played. That's half the reason I joined the light side. I didn't want anyone pushing me around. At least that way I knew if I was killed, I'd die holding my head high. You are the most prideful man I've ever helped, and yet you allowed yourself to be pushed around. And that makes no sense to me."

Draco tried to figure her technics out, but couldn't. On one hand, she seemed like just a bitter old wench, but on the other, he could see that she was incredibly strong minded. It suddenly struck him that he was actually gaining some respect for her.

"I believe that if someone pushes you around, you're supposed to push them back, only harder. Harry pushed me. The Order pushed around my family, thus, I hated Harry, and I hated the Order."

"Draco, you have every right to be angry. But your grudges are causng me to be mean. I don't normally like to be like this, but you allowed you life to be ruined over pride. If you want to push, be happy. People feel triumph over you when you're miserable, even if you are successful. Just move on and heal. They'll never notice you anyways. All you can expect to gain is your own happiness." Alexandra breathed deep, she hoped she could break through. After all, Draco was known for sticking to his guns. "Here's the thing Draco. You were down trodden, so you fought. You have just been kicked in the balls by Pansy, and I expect you to want to fight. But you have to do the hardest thing you will ever have to do."

"And that would be?" Draco sneered.

"Not to fight. There is nothing, absolutely _nothing_ you can do about Pansy. Nor do you want to do anything about her. The only thing she's good for is fueling the compost heap in my back yard. Your job is_ not _to get your kid's mom back. It's to get them a mom to begin with. Pansy was_ not _their mother. Their mom would not have left her kids, got it? Some parents leave their kids, it's true, but Pansy had no involvement whatsoever, nor did she want any. Besides, if only half of what you think is true, any women would be crazy not to marry you just to raise your kids. No mother would leave a family like that." Draco looked over at Alexandra and breathed deep. She was right. His job was not to fight for Pansy, it was to fight for his kids. And his kids needed a mother.

"I take it I'm supposed to start dating?" Alexandra sighed. That was where things would get a bit more complex.

"You really like asking questions, don't you?" Alexandra's face broke into a smile. Draco realized that she was actually quite pretty, if not slightly insane. "Draco, just to warn you, most women you'd be interested in are married. Purebloods have a habit of arranging marriages. Ipso Facto, you can't seek them out anymore. For the sake of your kids, muggleborns will have to do. Besides, Pansy will get really pissed that you replaced her with one." Draco smiled. He liked the way Alex was thinking. It's true, being replaced would be bad, by a mudbl-muggleborn would be worse. "I have a list of names of eligible girls in your age-range. I.E. twenty three to a day younger than you. Any younger and they're not ready for another woman's kids, and most women don't like dating younger men. I also have a picture placed beside each name and a description, which by the way, doesn't include their lineage. That way, you can't pureblood search anymore."

"You've got no life, but you bloody think of everything. " Draco remarked, taking the list out of her hands.

"Why thank you. Oh, I think you know number eight."

Alexandra pointed her wand up at the ceiling and apparated out of the Mansion.

Draco's eyes followed the list until he reached number eight. His face paled and he could feel the blood drain away from his face. It was Hermione Granger. Draco looked at the picture. In all this time, Hermione hadn't changed her appearances at all. Not that Draco himself had, but it was still a slight shock. It was as though time itself had stood still for her. The picture of Hermione waved to get his attention, rolled her eyes at him ignoring her, and when finally the receiver of his gaze, directed it towards the bottom right-hand corner of the photo. Draco looked at it and realized why she'd pointed there. The reason the picture looked as though she hadn't changed, is it was taken a week after their graduation.

Draco groaned as he read all other candidates. None of them sounded even remotely interesting. They were all accountants, secretaries, or bankers who's hobbies all consisted of baking muffins. But for him to ask out Hermione, well, it was down right preposterous! She would most definitely find some sort of charges to bring him up on.

Draco blatantly and out rightly refused to even consider her. It was no good, and that was final. Not to mention she was friends with Pothead and Weasel. There was no way in hell he'd stoop so low. Besides, he was still good looking, being only twenty-five, he could get any girl he wanted.

Ink began to bleed onto the bottom of the parchment. It started to shift and grow darker until it was forming the perfectly shaped print of Alexandra's writing.

"Draco, don't tell me you're still bashing those two? It's been seven years. For goodness sake, get over yourself, I have enough I have to do without babysitting cliententell."

Draco gritted his teeth. Sometimes she could be sweet, but when she was annoyed she was no force to be trifled with. She was down right evil even, she might've even been able to put his father back in line.

Draco picked up a quill and wrote her a quick response. "Are you always this mean to clients?"

"Nope. Only you, but that's cause I knew you from school, and it bothers me that you haven't changed one bit." A little smily face appeared under the comment. Draco began to smirk. She was really quite something. But he couldn't figure out if that something was good or not.

"Hey, Draco, I took the liberty of visiting your company. Who knew the big bad Draco owned an online _muggle_ company? Nice. I always wondered who invented netflex."

Draco could swear he heard her laughing in his ear. '_'Weird.' _

Draco shoved the parchment in his pocket, rolled over, and fell back to sleep on his couch. He'd seriously have to think before he gave the whole dating thing a nickel of his time.

-----

Ron awoke to find that his wife was missing from his side. He began to pull the covers away from himself when she walked in from the bathroom. Carmen trudged over to the bed and crawled underneath the covers. Ron imediately fell back onto his pillow, relieved that she was there again.

"Where were you?" Ron asked frantically. Carmen rolled over to face him and smiled. He hated it when she did that, it made him feel like he'd said something incredibly silly and she was actually enjoying it.

"It's so cute that you're worried. Didn't you see me come in through the bathroom?" Ron nodded and sank into the bed further. Carmen planted a goodnight kiss on his cheek and collasped into the bed completely. "Good night. I love you."

"Love you too," his muffled voice came from beneath the sheets. Carmen laid back into the bed. If he ever found out where she had been, he'd have freaked for sure. It was better not to worry him, until morning that is. She knew very well that she'd lied. But her concious's concillation was that she hadn't completely lied, just allowed him to jump to the wrong conclusions, and that it might just cause some people, including herself, a great deal of happiness and security. She hated what was going on. But she hated lying more. Ron however, wouldn't understand her actions, and it was necissary to lie for the time being.

Carmen looked over at Ron. He gave a slight grunt as she poked him. Had he already fallen asleep? Yes, it appeared so. Carmen knew she was wrong. She shouldn't of done it, but she couldn't pass up the oppurtunity. She couldn't refuse a personal request from one of her best friends. But Ron didn't know her, he didn't know that she was friends with his wife, and he didn't really want to know. As far as he could see, Carmen's friends and his were synonomous. Unfortunately for him that was a lie. She'd still kept in touch with some of her old friends from school. She'd still kept in touch with the Slytherins. He wouldn't hated that. And she would've hated that Ron hated that. She'd come so far to marry him. Carmen wasn't going to ruin it with differences in taste. And it wasn't as though she saw her old friends often. But it did so happen that she saw them now.

Carmen thought that they might even start doubting her if she stayed too long with their old enemies. But it wasn't that she didn't want to tell him and the Aurors the truth, but she never really knew how. So long as you asked her, Carmen had no problem with telling you things, but she never felt right telling people things that they never asked to know. That just seemed weird to her.

Carmen kept thinking about her constant dodging of the truth until much later, around three o' clock, when she finally fell asleep.


	3. Take Your Bull and Shove it!

**If you never ask questions**

**You'll never hear truths**

**I don't own this story.**

**So kindly don't sue. **

**Seven Years Since Hogwarts**

**Chapter 3: Take Your Bull and Shove It!**

Two days later, Narcissa opened the door to see the family's young lawyer standing on the front walk, her daughter skipping around their suitcases.

"Draco! Blaise is at the door for you!" Narcissa shouted up the hall. Clara popped her head through the bars of the banister and let out an excited yelp.

"Emi!" She called sprinting down the stairs. Narcissa shot her a stern look of disapproval, which made her slow to a trot. Narcissa caught her up in her arms at the bottom step and rolled her eyes.

"What would your father say?" Clara began to giggle as Narcissa placed her down. Clara immediately caught Emily's hand in hers and pulled her up the steps, chattering wildly about everything under the sun to the older girl. Draco passed the two on his way into the entrance hall, and gave them approving glances. Draco's hand slid along the wood until he had reached the bottom step. He walked to the door and leaned on it casually.

"Hello Blaise. And what pray tell brings you to my humble abode?" Blaise laughed as though the thought of anything at the Malfoys being humble was ridiculous, which in a way, it was.

"I need to borrow your mother." Draco glanced down at the suitcases.

"It appears to me like you need to borrow the whole house."

Blaise heaved in guilt. "You got me there. But it's not like it isn't big enough."

Draco leaned further onto the door. "Come on in. We'll talk there."

Draco pulled out his wand and levitated the bags inside by the door. Then he lead Blaise into the kitchen, where several bar stools had been put up.

"Draco. I just want my daughter to have some friends. Maybe even a real family. I could even pay rent."

Draco began to laugh. "Blaise. The house is big. Big and lonely. Besides, I'd _never_ make you pay rent. It's not like it isn't big enough." Blaise smiled knowingly. She was silly to think he wouldn't take her and Emily in. She was silly to think Draco would force her to pay. But that was the Draco she'd always known. He seemed so different now.

"Alright. Just so long as your mother doesn't raise her like she raised you."

"And what, Ms. Zambini, is that supposed to mean?"

Blaise sighed. "I'afraidid you know exactly what it means. It means she can't make her prejudice. In the world todaypettydy racism just holds you back. And that's a fact. Even if I did still hate Muggleborns, it does my kid no justice if she does." Blaise paused for a moment to search Draco's eyes. "I can see however that you do."

"I guess you could call it resentment for being happy. I saw Ron's wife the other day." Blaise grinned. A house elf came in and served her a glass of milk, to which Blaise thanked him deeply.

"You mean the weird one who used to have blue hair?" Blaise asked, drinking from her glass.

"Blaise, are yoinsinuatingng that Mr. Weasley is bigamistst?" Blaise tried to contain her laughterconsequentlyly shooting milk out her nose. Draco just smiled. He thought for a moment about the two of them, but then he realized how much more like a sister to him she was. They were best friends roommates as of late, but not romantically attached whatsoever. It would never work. He'd still have to ask out Hermione.

-----

Draco found himself standing before the door of Hermione's office, a box of chocolate in his hand. He knew he was crazy, but he had to try. _'For the sake of my kids,' _he thought, _'for the sake of my kids.' _

Hermione looked up from her desk to see the silhouettete of a man outside her door. At first she ignored him, assuming he was reading the various memos posted there, but quickly realized that they were here to see her.

"Come in any time you feel like it!" Hermione yelled to the shadow. Draco breathed deep. It was definitely her alright. The voice was still the same, maybe warmer thanusuall, but still belonging to the same person. Draco tapped his fingers nervously on the copper handle. He knew he only had one shot at this. Only one conversation before she was out of his life forever. Draco turned the handle, all of his apprehension turning swiftly to raw energy.

As Draco entered the room he noticed that Hermione herself had changed a great deal. Her hair was no longer bushy, but pleasantly curly and it appeared to have actually been brushed. But Hermione met him with the same stiff decorum she would've greeted Snape with.

"Good day Mr. Malfoy, how may I help you?" Hermione managed to spurt between grinding teeth.

"That's bad for you you know," Draco mentioned.

"Since when did you care what's bad for me?" Hermione looked up at him and began to sip her black tea.

"Since I need a girlfriend." Draco could see her reach for tissues as the hot liquid shot out of her nostrils.

Draco placed the box of chocolates on her desk. Hermione looked past him to see that in the hall, Neville, Harry, Ron, Seamus, Dean, and Lee were all placing bets on how long it would take her to kick him out. "Could you please close the door?" Hermione askedearnestlyy.

Draco closed it and quickly sat down, afraid that if he didn't, Hermione might make Ron win the bet. (Ronald had guessed that the conversation would last thirty seconds tops.)

"Alright, Hermione, here's the deal. As you are probably well aware I amrecentlyy divorced. . ." Hermione nodded that she was indeed aware. ". . .and have three kids." Hermione tried tostiflee a laugh, she was curious as to his suddendesperationn. "But what you might not know is that I'm seeing a councilor who insisted I start dating. And you're the only single girl I know." Hermione immediately stopped laughing. Draco was being serious about dating her.

"What makes you even think I would accept an offer like that!" Hermione spat. Through her window she could see new beats being placed.

"I didn't."

"Malfoy, take that bull and shove it up your obicularis oris. An then you might like to leave my office."

Draco shook his head in disbelief. "Ms. Granger, don't act like this is such a shock. It's not like you aren't brilliant enough, or, dare I admit it, sexy in your own way. It just so happens that we've always hated each other. So, why don't you just agree." Hermione grabbed a stack of papers and leaned over her desk to hit him on the head with it.

"Let's get one thing straight, I am _not sexy_!" Draco smirked at her, leaned in until there was only an inch between their lips and caressed her cheek with his thumb.

"Don't get your hopes up on me kissing you." Hermione grabbed his hand and placed it on his own cheek.

"What must I do to make you leave?" Hermione whined faintly.

"Go out with me," he dared boldly for the third time. Hermione sat back into her chair and Draco did the same.

"Alright. If you can find one thing we have in common, I'll agree to dinner." A smirk appeared on his lips.

"We both agree that Snape hates Harry."

"Nope. That's a fact. It has to be an opinion."

Hermione crossed her arms at him as if to say _'try again. That wasn't nearly good enough.' _

_'But why not?' _Draco's eyes teased playfully back.

_'Because I'm looking for an excuse not to date you.' _

_'Ah, I fully understand now. No problem, I'll just try harder.' _

"We both agree that I deserve to be alone," Draco finally said.

"That's still a fact," she spit in annoyance.

"Tsk. Tsk. Be nice." Draco thought about it a moment. "This is impossible. We'll never agree on anything."

"Exactly." Hermione smiled. He'd given up, which meant that she had won. She looked over expecting Draco's face to be sullen, but it wasn't. He didn't even look remotely downcast.

"You just agreed with me," Draco chimed.

"Shoot!" She screeched.

Draco grinned broadly, he'd done it. Hermione agreed. "Well, goodbye then sweety." Draco got up and left the office, a stapler hitting the door behind him. Hermione crossed her arms and leaned back into her chair.

"God I hate him."

Ron came rampaging into Hermione's office. Seamus, Neville, and Harry, came in shortly afterward, though Ginny kept trying to pull Harry out again, telling him that Draco was just kidding and not to worry.

"DRACO JUST SAID YOU WERE DATING HIM!" Ron screamed.

"Ron, the entire ministry can hear you. And if you don't mind, I don't exactly want that common knowledge."

_'Mental note to self: Draco is an ostentatious prat and I should pour cyanide into his expensive wine at dinner.' _Ginny let go of Harry's arm and let him run into the room. Neville simply fainted.

"So it's true? You're really dating Malfoy?" Harry probed.

"Quite," Hermione sighed. Seamus knelt down and began to revive Neville, Dean took out a quill and began to take notes.

"And how did that happen? I mean, he's a slimy, praty, gitty, gritty, no good, rotten. . ."

"Ron," said Harry. "We get the idea."

Hermione smiled at how defensive her friends were getting about all this. "Dean stop writing." Dean obeyed immediately, shoving the quill in the pocket of his yellow robes, which began to reveal that his quill was leaking. "It's quite strange really. But I told him I would go out with him if he found something we had in common. After all, I thought we had nothing. . .Then he says that we'll never agree on anything. Which is right. So now I have to go out with him. DEAN! I thought I told you no notes! I don't want this public knowledge!" Hermione shouted.

"Then you shouldn't have been screaming," Wellington, another Auror said into her room.

"Thanks for the advice. I'm sure it'll help me now," Hermione replied sarcastically.

Dobby entered the crowded office. Hermione had hired him as her personal assistant after she left Hogwarts. Dobby walked up to her desk and placed a letter in her hand.

"An owl came Miss. Dobby was a good house-elf and came straight away." Dobby bowed low looking very odd in his mismatched socks and suit. Hermione smiled at him and began opening the letter.

"Hello Hermione.

I was thinking that maybe we could exchange dinner with a little excursion. Clara, Johnathan, Thomas and I were hoping you could make it this Saturday at one o'clock for a day at the carnival.

Good Bye My Dear,

_Draco Malfoy._

With love and sloppy signatures,

Clara

_Johnathan_

**Thom**"

Hermione grinned at the children's signatures. She had to admit it was actually kind of cute. She was such a sucker for kids. Hermione read the card aloud to everyone in the room. Ron got very emphatic and irritable, particularly about the "My Dear" part, Harry was obviously still in shock, and Ginny snatched up the card to read the signatures.

"Aw, that's really adorable." Ginny cooed. Ron just glared at her. Dean was in the hall pretending not to be taking notes, and Seamus was still busy reviving Neville.

"Ginny, could you get down here and kiss him or something?" Seamus asked in desperation, the unconscious Neville still in his arms.

"No, I'm married. You do it."

"I'm a guy! I am_ not _kissing Neville. Hermione?" Seamus whined. He looked up at her expectantly when she didn't answer him. Hermione looked down and pretended there was something dreadfully interesting about the floor by her feet. Seamus just groaned at the lack of help the girls were giving him.

"Seamus, you're a big boy now, why don't you just take him to the medi-witch?" Carmen, who'd suddenly appeared in Hermione's office next to Ron, said.

"Because Carmen, while I may be a big boy, Neville is a _big _boy. I can't lift him." Seamus looked at her hopelessly.

"Gah. The incompetence of it all. Seamus, you're a wizard. _Wingardium Leviosa?_" Seamus came to a sudden realization that she was right and lifted Neville with his wand and walked out of the room.

Dobby entered the room again this time weighted down by a huge bouquet of long stemmed white roses. Dobby placed them on the desk. Carmen looked more amused than usual at the sight of the flowers. Hermione gave Dobby a sickle from her pocket for all the trouble Draco was putting him through and smelt the roses. They smelled absolutely heavenly. Hermione handed them over to Ginny and took back the note. Hermione quickly scrawled something to Draco and sent it out with Dobby.

The letter was carried by Hermione's tawny owl Lucion all the way to the Malfoy mansion. Lucion tapped his beak on the window of Draco's upstairs office. Draco quickly got up and opened the window for him. Grateful that he wasn't carrying a bouquet of smashed roses, Draco took the letter.

"Draco. Could you tone it down a little? Everyone's still in my office." Draco laughed at the thought of everyone crowded into the fairly small room with Burgundy couches screaming at her to tell them why she would be so foolish as to date a Malfoy.

Draco looked over at his office door. The house had grown very quiet since Blaise went off to work. He nearly hit himself on the head. He'd forgotten to tell Hermione that Emily and Blaise were coming. Of course that was only to keep Clara from throwing a tantrum and because he wanted to escape an actual date with Hermione.


End file.
